People

March 1, 2012
Rittal Corp. (Urbana, Ohio): Douglas Peterson has been named president. He comes to his new post from the Industrial Solutions Division of Belden Americas

Rittal Corp. (Urbana, Ohio): Douglas Peterson has been named president. He comes to his new post from the Industrial Solutions Division of Belden Americas Group where he was responsible for more than $400 million in sales through its multiple business units. Prior to Belden he served as general manager of the U.S. subsidiary of Phoenix Contact and worked for nearly 20 years in various divisions of GE. Peterson graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Dayton and received an MBA from Xavier University, Cincinnati.

Kohler Co. (Kohler, Wis.): David Brown was promoted to vice president of sales for the company's Kohler Power Systems Americas division where he is directing all North American sales activities of industrial generator sets, electrical controls, switchgear and automatic transfer switches through direct sales, national accounts and distribution channel partners. Brown joined Kohler Power Systems in 2008 as the director of industrial solutions and national accounts. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical engineering from Memphis State University. He also holds an MBA from Marquette University.

Myers & Associates Electrical Sales (Norman, Okla.): Clint Ragle is the new director of medium-voltage sales for Oklahoma. He will direct all agency efforts for the industrial division of Copper Power Systems, DSG Canusa, Olsun Electrics and Pencell Plastics. Specific product responsibility includes medium-voltage transformers, switches, capacitors, terminations and wire and cable.

Franklin Electric Co. (Moorestown, N.J.): Matthew Venancio has been named V.P. of sales, bringing more than 25 years of experience in electrical distribution and manufacturing. Prior to joining Franklin Electric, Venancio served as the general manager for East Coast Power Systems, Tinton Falls, N.J. He also previously worked as an executive V.P.-Industrial for Cooper Electric Supply Co./Sonepar and served as an OEM sales manager for Siemens Energy & Automation, Edison, N.J.

Ideal Industries (Sycamore, Ill.): Matthew Barrett has accepted a job as national account manager for the company's Electrical Division and will report directly to Joe Saganowich, the company's V.P. of sales and marketing. Barrett will be responsible for leading the business development strategy to expand the company's portfolio of national key accounts in the electrical channel. He brings 16 years of sales and channel experience to Ideal and previously worked for Zebra Technologies and Panduit. Barrett earned a BS in marketing from Northern Illinois University and an MBA at Cardinal Stritch University.

National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) (Rosslyn, Va.): Charles Konigsberg joined the NEMA/MITA team as chief, strategy and policy. Konigsberg is a 30-year budget and policy veteran who has served in senior-level positions in the U.S. Senate and White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Border States Electric (Fargo, N.D.): Jay Esler has been named South Central Region business development manager. He will be on the company's South Central Region management team and provide direction for new and expanded business opportunities. The company's South Central region consists of 16 branch locations in New Mexico and Texas. Esler has more than 25 years of experience in the electrical and telecommunications industries. His previous management posts included director of datacom sales for Crescent Electric Supply, division sales manager for Rexel in Dallas and district sales manager for Panduit in Denver and Houston.

Burndy (Manchester, N.H.): Allen Henry has joined the company as Western regional sales manager for U.S. sales and Nick Moraitis rejoined Burndy as South Central regional sales manager for U.S. sales. Henry was most recently with Western USA, Industrial Division for Molex as part of the Daniel Woodhead group. He earned a BS in business administration from San Diego State University. Moraitis had been with Burndy as a sales rep in Houston and as Southeast regional manager in Atlanta before taking a position as director of sales with Polaris. A graduate of the University of Florida in Gainesville, he earned a BS in business administration (marketing).

Egret Consulting (Mundelein, Ill.): The executive search firm has appointed Larry Cabel to head up its Wire and Cable division. Cabel has more than six years of executive search experience and 30 years of sales and marketing experience in both the electrical and construction equipment industries, including posts with Belden, Anixter and Communications Supply Corp. (WESCO).

Schneider Electric (Palatine, Ill.): Mary Ramsey is now senior V.P. of Schneider Electric's U.S. Industry Business, one of the five core U.S. businesses of the $26 billion multi-national corporation. She replaces former U.S. Industry Business senior V.P. Andy Gravitt, who announced his retirement effective Feb. 1 after nearly 20 years with Schneider Electric. Ramsey will report directly to Clemens Blum, Schneider's global industry business executive V.P.

She previously served as the senior V.P. of sales in Schneider Electric's Europe Industry Business. Ramsey first joined the company while serving at Pro-face America, which was acquired by Schneider Electric in 2004, as the general manager and V.P. of sales for North and South America. She has more than 20 years of experience in industrial automation, including posts at Intellution, GE Fanuc-Industrial Automation Division and Cincinnati Electrosystems. She has a BA in electrical engineering from the University of Kentucky and an MBA from the Loyola University Graduate School of Management in Chicago.